Means for extinguishing cigarettes, matches, and the like



Nov. 5, 1940.

m v. I v v A (by 1 a f E M ,w o W. E 1 J w. M v D 7 M 7/ m fi /Q 0/ L mvENroR covm GEE QM -r 7 ATTORNEYS; I

MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING CIGARETTES, MATCHES AND THE LIKE Nov. 5, 1940.

' Filed Aug. 10,1938

INVENTOR H GOVAN GEE BY 9 meme/ G. GEE 2,220,784

MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING CIGARETTES, MATCHES, AND THE LIKE Nov. 5, 1940.

Filed Aug. 10, 1938 3 Sheei-Sheet 3 f INVENTOR BY 7 GOV'AN GEE A ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED sTA'rE' assignor to Safety Ashtrays Limited England, a British. company 1 London,

Application August 10, 1938, Serial No. 224,156

In Great Britain August 17,1931

. zclainis This invention relates to means for' extinguishing cigarettes, matches and the like 'andhas for its object to provide an improved construction" or arrangementdesigned to prevent damage to furniture,'carpets and the like due more particularly to partially burntcigarettes falling outwards from ashtraysof ordinary types.

According to the invention a device forex- 'tinguishing cigarettes, matches'and the like is constructed as an ashtray or as a mat and consists oi-a number of closely arranged vertical cells open at their upper ends and; arranged .so that any lighted or glowing body falling ,or thrown onto the top ofthe cell structure or assembly remains there until it is "extinguished.

.The invention also consists in an ashtray comprising a plurality of vertical cells formed within a circular or polygonal body.

The invention further consists infan ashtray comprising a plurality of vertical cells formed in a body of circular or other shape having a rim projecting above the level of the top of the cell structure or assembly. p I Reference will now be made to theaccompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example constructions according tothe invention andin whichf Figure l is a plan of a circularashtray, V Figure '2 is a'sectional elevation .of Figurefl.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are elevation, "plan and end elevation respectively of an ashtraydesigned for use in theatres, V

Figures 6, '7 and 8 are sectional plan, sectional side elevation and sectional front elevation r espectiveiy of an ashtray for use in'a motor. car,-

the sections being taken respectively 'on' the lines 6-8 of Figure 7, and l-I arid-BA of Figure 9 is a persp for domestic use, Figure 10 is a central sectional elevation of the ashtray shown in Figure 9, and

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 5 but partly in section to show the snap catch.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 the ashtray may be made of metal, earthenware, stoneware or a moulded plastic substance and is formed with a number of closely arranged cylindrical cells a open at their upper ends and of such dimensions that any lighted or glowing object, such as a cigarette end, inserted-into one of the cells a will be quickly extinguished owing to the lack of oxygen. To ensure rapid extincll tion in such cases the cells a are of relatively ective'view. of anlashtray small dimensions being preferably 01 the order of one'inch in'height'withan internal diameter 'of approximately half-an inch. '1 In the form or construction shown the cells a are formed by moulding in" a cylindrical body 1 '2) formed integral'with a base plate 0. At the centr'e'oi the cell structure; an elongated slot or cell dj may be formed forthe'receptlon of matches. Inorder that'this device 'maybe'given w an ornamental-appearance by the use of a material unsuitable for use in forming the cell 'structure, the'exteriorofthe cylindrical'body 'b may be surrounded by a sleeve e whose exterior maybe serrated, ornamented or formed to re-' 'ceive advertising or other matter and which projects fora substantial distance above the outer edge'of the ceil's'tructureas shown in Figure 2. Thisouter edge prevents any lighted or glowing body which is thrown or which fallsonto the 'cellstructure from falling ofi the ashtray. If a partially consumed cigarettejfor example, is placed in aninclind position restingupon the upper edge of sleeve e the" cigarette will eventually fall inwards andnot outwards and thus prevent any damage to the table or the like on which the ashtrayis'standing. v The arrangement shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 is designed for attachment to 'the backs of seats f in cinematograph theatres and'other places of, entertainment. Inthe form shown' 'this struc-' ture'is made throughout'in metaland consists of a base plate I with attachment brackets g and a-tray it hinged at i to the forward edge of the 'base plate f. The interior of this tray is; fjdivided into cells 1'- which in this instance are [of rectilineal' form-although of substantially the same general dimensions'as before and-the rear portion or the receptacle is formed as a. match receptacle It. On the rearwall ofth'e tray a "luminous'p hosphorus plate-l may be fixed so that the position of the cell structure can"be "seen when the device'is 'use'd'in cinematograph theatres. The outer wall of the tray h projects for a substantial distance above'the top of the cell structure as shown at m in Figures 3 and 5 for the purpose of ensuring; that when a cigarette does not fall completely within the tray h it will lie at an inclination such that, as it smoulders, it cannot fail outwards but must ultimately tall completely into the tray and become extinguished. To empty the tray h it is s PATENT OFF CE;

moved outwardly around the hinge z to the posi- Y tion shown in broken lines in Figure 5 and when returned to operative position it is retained in place by a snap catch 1: which engages around the rear edge of the base plate I under the action of a spring 5 as the tray is pressed into an upright position as shown in Fig. 11, the catch being released by moving it against said spring.

The construction shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 is designed for use in a motor car and comprises a metallic tray 0 containing a cell assembly p and match receptacle q and an upwardly projecting outer edge 1' all arranged substantially as and for the purposes already described in connection with Figures 3, 4 and 5. The tray 0 can be partially rotated from the operative position shown in Fig. 6 to an inoperative position within a casing s which is sunk into one of the walls or the dashboard of a motor car, the said casing' being removably attached on its inner side at t to a stirrup 11. which forms a -flxture in the said wall or dashboard. At the centre of the rear wall of the tray 0 is formed a cylindrical open ended socket v in the ends .of which are mounted two balls w urged apart by a spring a: which causes these balls to engage recesses 41 in the upper and lower parts of the casing s, the balls being retained in the socket by constrictingthe ends thereof, as shown in Fig. '7. This arrangement permits pivotal movement of the tray 0 about the axes of the balls .10 between two positions 180 apart, the operative and inoperative positions being delined by a stop pin 2. When in the inoperative position the ashtray liescompletely within the recess formed by the casing s and is screened from view by its rear wall which, in such position lies substantially flush with the wall of the vehicle. The resilient mountingof the balls w allows the tray 0 to be completely detached for emptying when. a sharp pull is exerted on it in a direction away from the casing s.

It is to be understood that the two devices illustrated in Figures 3-8 can be used in a variety of positions other, than those for which they have been specifically described. I

The ashtray shown in Figures 9 and 10 is preferably made in a ceramic material and is rectangular in plan with rounded comers. It

includes a cell structure 2, a match receptacle 3 and an outwardly flared rim 4, to ensure that a cigarette which may be laid acrossone of the edges 4 with its inner end resting upon the top of the cell structure will ultimately fall inwards and be extinguished. r

The height of the projecting rim in all forms of the invention is such that. cigarettes placed in the manner described lie at such an inclination that they cannot fall outwards but will eventually -fall completely into the tray. By forming the cellular structure so that its top is of decreasing height from its outer edges toward its center, as shown, a partially consumed cigarette laid temporarily on the cellular structure will tendto roll toward the center thereof and thereby place it in a position where it can be readily picked up by the fingers, and by forming the cellular structure so that its top is concave and of decreasing height from its outer edges toward its center and also forming the upper edges of the side walls of the surrounding rim so that they also are concave and slope downwardly toward their centers in conformity with the concavity of the top of the cellular structure, the concave top of the cellular structure and concave upper edges of the rim cooperate to afford the further advantage that a cigarette laid on the tray and resting on the rim and cellular structure will tend to roll toward the center rather than toward either of the sides of the tray and thereby prevent rolling of shown in Figs. 9 and 10 may be of material different from the walls andmay be removable for cleaning.

I claim: y v

1. An ashtray comprising a cellular structure providing a plurality of closely adjacent verticalcells open at their upperlends and'of such dimensions as to facilitate extinguishing the lighted end of a cigarette therein the top of said cellular structure being of decreasing height from its'outer edges toward its center, and a rim surrounding said cellular structure and projecting above the top thereof to a height sufllcient to prevent a lighted cigarette laid on the tray with its lighted end resting on the cellular structure and its unlighted end projecting over said rim from falling outwardly as its length is decreased by smoldering.

' 2. An ashtray comprising a cellular-structure providing a plurality of closely adjacent vertical cells open at their upper ends and of such dimensions as to facilitate extinguishing the lighted end of a cigarette therein, the top of said cellularstructure being concave and of decreasing heightfrom its outer edges toward its center, and a rim surrounding said cellular structure and projecting above the top thereof to a height sufficient to prevent a lighted cigarette laid on the tray with its lighted end resting on the cellular structure and its un'li'ght'ed end projecting over said rim from iallingf outwardly as its length is decreased by smoldering. said rim having side walls'the upper edges or which are concave and slope downwardly toward their centers in coniormity with the concavity of the top of the cellular structure.

' GOVAN GEE. 

